Mortal Coil
by Willow Fireheart
Summary: When Faith's coma takes a turn for the worst Giles and Buffy go the hospital to say goodbye. [Complete]


**Mortal Coil **

Spoilers- S4 up to A New Man  
Disclaimer- None of these character, setting, etc belong to me, they are the property of Joss et al.  
Note- A big thank-a-roonie to Pocket Jericho for his assistance with some of the dialogue in his fic, and for the prodding to get it finished. Oh and the title.

&&&

Buffy perched on the armchair Riley had situated himself in. She draped an arm around his neck and leant against him. "So, Bronzing after patrol tonight?"

Riley slipped an arm around her waist to secure her. "Sure. If you guys want to." He directed the last part at the three Scoobies sprawled around Giles' lounge room, if Anya could be called a Scooby.

Xander rubbed a hand down Anya's back. "Sure. It's not like we have anything better to do."

Anya pouted and glared at him "We were going to have sex tonight! You were going to that thing with your tongue-"

Xander clamped a hand over her mouth and flushed a deep red. "Ahn, remember that talk we had about private things being less private when they're said in front of other people?"

Anya huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Fine."

Buffy shook her head, grinning at the bright red Xander. "Wills, you in?"

Willow drew her bottom lip in between her teeth. "I don't know. I was going to do some work in the labs."

"Come on, Wills. Live a little. Come to the Bronze with us, please," Buffy cajoled.

Willow smiled and opened her mouth to answer Buffy, only to be cut off by the ringing of Giles' telephone.

Giles rushed out of his kitchen, where he had been busily not listening to their conversation, draping the slightly damp tea towel over his shoulder. He picked up the phone and fumbled it as it continued to ring. Giles cursed and hit the button.

"Hello," he braced one fist on his hip. "Rupert Giles speaking."

Buffy watched in alarm, as his face grew grim.

Giles ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I see. And how long do you expect? I see. Right, thank you. I'll be there as soon as possible."

Giles put down the phone and leant against his desk. He bowed his head and removed his glasses, wiping his eyes and giving the lens a quick wipe with the bottom of his shirt before replacing them.

Buffy removed her arm from around Riley and sat up straight. The muscles in her back and shoulders tense. "Giles, what's wrong?"

Giles sighed and pushed off from the desk. "I'm afraid that was the hospital." Giles paused. "It seems that Faith has taken a turn for the worst. They don't expect her to survive the next 48 hours."

"Oh god." Buffy looked down at her hands, her green eyes watering.

"But that's a good thing, right?" Xander asked, looking from the grim-faced Giles to the confused and teary Buffy.

"Shut up, Xander." Buffy's voice was cold and full of warning. "Just don't say a word."

Willow meekly raised a hand. "Uh, I hate to pry. But why did the hospital call you, Giles?"

"After graduation I had myself put down as her nearest kin," Giles answered. "It seemed to be the least I could do."

"The least you could do?" Xander asked incredulously. "The least you could do is nothing. God, does no one remember she tried to kill me?"

Buffy's head snapped up, her eyes flashing. "She was a slayer as well, Xander. If-" Buffy cut herself off. "You know what? It doesn't matter. Giles. Lets go. I'm coming with you."

"All right." There was a knowledgeable gleam in his eyes. Giles picked his keys up off his desk and grabbed his coat off the stand and held the door open.

Buffy grabbed her jacket and strode out the door without a word. Giles followed her and with one final glared at Xander, closed the door behind him.

Confused Riley looked from Willow's conflicted expression, Xander's thubderous one and the look of extreme boredom on Anya's face.

"Who's Faith?"

&&&&&

Buffy looked around the ward that Faith was being kept in. She had been in a coma for so long that the hospital staff had moved her from the main part of the hospital to a more isolated ward. It was so isolated that Buffy hadn't seen another person since she set foot in the ward; there were no visitors and no hospital staff. Buffy looked through some of the open doors; the patients were vegetables and other coma victims.

Buffy shuddered. It was her idea of a nightmare.

Giles rested his hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly.

Buffy covered his hand with hers and smiled gratefully.

"I believe Faith's room is at the end of the hall," Giles said softly.

Buffy nodded and stared down the hall. "Right." She remained stationary in the middle of the hall. Buffy looked up at Giles. "That would involve moving my feet, wouldn't it?"

The corners of Giles' eyes crinkled. "It would certainly help."

Buffy took a deep breath. Still she remained stationary. Buffy looked down at her feet. "Go go, Gadget feet?"

"Buffy, if you don't think you can do this than-"

"No," Buffy interrupted. "No, I have to do this. I owe it to myself and to her."

Buffy squared her shoulders and drew on the strength and courage that she had become well known for. Determinedly she marched towards Faith's room; Giles trailing close behind her. Momentarily Buffy paused in the doorway, shocked by the various beeping machines connected to Faith. Moving slowly Buffy sank into a chair that the hospital staff had placed next to the bed after calling Giles.

Faith looked so innocent tucked up in the hospital bed and blankets. The soft blue gown covered her tribal tattoos. Her face was scrubbed clean of her usual dark, heavy make up, leaving her looking younger than Buffy could remember seeing her, apart perhaps from the moment Buffy confronted her about Kakistos and even then it was the absolute terror shining in her dark eyes that dominated Buffy's memory. Faith's hair was pushed back from her face, freshly brushed and washed. She looked so young.

Tears welled up in Buffy's eyes and her hand rose to cover her gaping mouth. "Oh god. I did this. I put her in here. I'm the reason she's dying."

"Buffy-"

"Giles, don't. I'm the one that sunk her own blade into the flesh of her stomach." Buffy started to sob.

Giles sighed. "And if you hadn't then who knows how many more people would have died during the graduation ceremony. It's entirely plausible that if Faith had been involved than we wouldn't have been successful."

"Would you have done it? If you had the ability, would you have done the same thing?" Buffy asked defensively.

"No," Giles said curtly. "If I had the ability I would have killed her outright, I wouldn't have given her the chance to fight back." Giles sagged. "But then I'm a lot more damned than you."

Buffy looked from Giles to Faith and back, somewhat mollified. "So why all this?"

Giles rubbed a hand over his face. "Because no matter how necessary and fortunate her coma is, it doesn't mean that I don't still wonder if there was something I could have done to help her, or to stop her from becoming this."

"That could have been me, Giles."

"It's possible, if you had the same circumstances as Faith." Giles paused. "It's also possible that you wouldn't have chosen the same path that Faith did."

Buffy stared at Faith's face, her hand resting on the bed near Faith's, and brooded.

In a brief bout of pique Giles wondered if it was something she had learnt from Angel.

"Look, we perform a duty that few will ever know and fewer will ever understand. And with that duty there are times when we have to make decisions, decisions that may conflict with the law."

"This wasn't a break and enter, Giles. I stuck a knife into her."

"Yes," Giles said. "But you did what you had to do. The police couldn't restrain her, nor could the Council. In fact you were the only person who stood a chance of stopping her. It may not have been pleasant, it may not have been legal, but it needed to be done. The opportunity for redemption was open for her, and she refused it. There was nothing more we could do."

Giles paused. "What's brought on this sudden guilt?"

Buffy shrugged, her fingers playing idly with the hospital blanket that covered Faith's still form. "Seeing her like this, I guess. She looks so young, so vulnerable, so innocent."

Giles studied the prone slayer. "She does, doesn't she?"

A heavy silence over the duo.

There was a quiet knock Giles and Buffy looked. A short, dark-haired woman in a nurse's outfit, complete with little white hat and ugly white shoes, stood in the doorway.

"Mr. Giles?"

"Ah, yes?"

The nurse looked from Giles to Buffy and back, her eyes alight with curiosity. "I'm afraid we're only allowing family members at this time."

"Oh, right." He waved a hand towards Buffy. "This is my niece, Buffy Summers."

Buffy gave the nurse a bitter smile.

The nurse looked relieved. "Well, that's all right then. Mr. Giles, the doctor would like to speak to you for a few minutes."

Giles looked to Buffy, an unspoken question written on his face. Buffy nodded, almost impersonally.

"I'll get us something to drink as well, shall I?"

"Okay." Buffy trained her eyes onto the intricacies of the woven hospital thermal blanket.

Giles followed the nurse out of the room; casting worried looks at his diminutive slayer.

But Buffy kept her eyes trained on the blanket.

&&&&&

"What the…?"

Buffy looked around at her new surroundings. She was in a park, the sun shining brightly on the green grass. There were even a couple of large shady trees spotted around the place and a stream bubbling merrily nearby.

"I don't think we're in Kanas anymore," Buffy muttered.

A familiar rich, husky laugh sounded behind her.

"So what does that make me? Toto? The Tin man? Nah, I figure I gotta be the Wicked Witch of the West. Can't do the loyal companion thing, plus the fleas, and I got a heart, it's bruised and been broken a couple of times, been ignored more than a couple, but it's still beatin'. But the witch, I figure that's more me; the black, the sinister motives, plus those flying monkeys would be hella wicked."

Buffy turned slowly to face the speaker. "Faith."

Faith tugged on a strand of dark hair. "Hey, B."

There was an uncomfortable silence.

Faith cleared her throat. "So, you look good."

Buffy looked down at her outfit. She hadn't been planning on a hospital visit so the sparkly halter teamed with a pair of black pants and black high-heeled boots she wore weren't really appropriate for the somber hospital room or the bright cheery park they were now in.

The corners of Buffy's twitched up. "Thanks."

Buffy looked closely at Faith. The clothes Faith usually wore acted, symbolically, as armor, a barrier to keep other people away, but here Faith didn't seem to need it, here Faith stood happily, relaxed in a light pink dress with a yellow flower print. It made her look a lighter shade of brown and drew attention to her eyes, unaccompanied by the layers of mascara, eyeliner and dark eye shadow.

"You look… different."

Faith ducked her head and pulled at the dress. "Yeah, I guess I do."

Buffy cleared her throat and her eyes darted around, avoiding Faith. "So, uh. How have you been?"

Faith smiled gently. "Coma."

Buffy blushed, embarrassed. "Right, of course. Sorry."

"Nah, it's okay. It's restful. Gives me a chance to think. Without all the adrenaline and hurt feelings clouding my judgment. Plus, spending all my time here, nothing to do but think and work on my tan, since I won't die of skin cancer, it's nice. I thought why the hell not. 'Sides I could be in worse places."

"Yeah," Buffy bit her lip. "Just so I'm clear, this is a dream?"

Faith grinned. "Sure is. At least I hope so, it's either a dream or I've finally gone right 'round the bend rather than just peering around it."

"Is it my dream or your dream?"

Faith shrugged and started to walk away from Buffy. "I don't know, could just be our dream."

Buffy hurried after Faith. "So why isn't there any riddle talking? Last time I needed a decoder ring to figure out that conversation. I still don't understand most of it. Who's little sis?"

Faith smiled mysteriously. "She's yet to come, but she will come, very soon. As for the riddles, I don't know. As far as I can figure it wasn't just me talkin' to ya that day. This time it's just me. Just me taking the opportunity to say goodbye."

Buffy's head snapped up and she stumbled. "Goodbye? You know you're dying?"

"Of course," Faith was calm.

"I…" Buffy drew in a deep breath, her voice thick with remorse and self-berating. "I'm sorry, Faith."

Faith stopped and turned to face her. "What you got to be sorry for?"

Buffy opened her mouth to protest; only to be cut off by Faith's upraised hand.

"Listen, B. It's not your fault. I chose this path. Listen to me, I sound like Giles. See, thing is I know you did what you had to do."

Buffy stared at her in disbelief. Anger, guilt and self-hatred rose. Buffy stamped her booted foot against the grass, not realizing how childish the gesture was. Tears welled in her eyes.

"But I don't kill humans! Slayers don't do that!"

Faith smirked somewhat sardonically. "Yeah, well, I kinda went against that rule don'tcha think?"

Buffy sighed and ran a hand through her hair, ruining her carefully constructed style. "Faith, I killed you. Whether I had to or not, I did. And I'll never forgive myself for it." Buffy's hand dropped to her side, misery etched on her face.

"You gotta, B. You gotta let me go. You put in the coma; you never killed me. I just took a turn for the worst. It happens. You have so much ahead of you. If either of us had to go, the world's better off with the way things are. You're the world saver, B. Me, I'm just the black sheep of the family."

"But-"

Faith pressed her finger against Buffy's lips, interrupting her. "If it helps, I forgive you. I had it coming. And in all fairness, I did jump off the building."

The light, teasing tone in Faith's voice made Buffy smile involuntarily.

Faith smiled and pushed a wayward strand of hair behind Buffy's ear. "You just gotta accept it, B. I have."

"How?" Buffy asked her. "How can you accept it? How can you not fight it?"

"Look around, B." Faith swept an arm out. "I've been here since I collided with the truck. Not that I'm complaining, I've lived in worse, much worse. The thing is, here there's no hate, no anger, no pettiness. All those things that cloud your mind, they're gone. For the first time in… ever I can think clearly. I can see things for what they are. If I woke up I don't think I would remember any of this."

"So…" Buffy hesitated. "You're really okay with this? You're really prepared to die?"

Faith shrugged. "It was bound to happen sooner or later, given our calling." She let out a bark of laughter. "I've lived a lot longer than I though I would. I lived a lot longer than some other slayers have." Faith let out a sigh as she observed the expression on Buffy's face. "You still don't get it. Damn, I thought you were the educated one, B."

Faith grabbed Buffy's hand and walked briskly over to a small pond, a part of it shaded by the outstretched limbs of a large, smooth barked tree.

"Look." Faith pointed to the glossy surface of the water. The surface of the water shimmered and an image appeared. It was of a young girl, just into her teens, asleep in bed, her light brown hair fanned out on her pale blue pillowcase. The girl's forehead was creased and her face was scrunched up in fear and discomfort. A painful groan escaped her lips. The girl began to thrash, throwing her sheets off, whimpering in terror.

Buffy stared at the image on the water, feeling strangely antipathic to the girl's terrified cries. Still, there was something about the girl, something familiar. Something that kept Buffy's eyes fixed on her as she rode through her nightmare.

"Little sister," Buffy murmured.

Faith nodded triumphantly. "Yep. Poor kid she's going to have it tough. Tougher than you or I had it." Faith turned to Buffy, her dark eyes serious. "We're part of something bigger, B. And it's not about me anymore; it used to be but not now. I did what I had to do and now it's about you and her." Faith gestured towards the sleeping girl.

"She's a slayer." Buffy glanced at Faith.

Faith smiled widely. "Not yet, but she will be soon, sooner than you think."

Buffy pulled a face. "I thought you weren't going to do the riddle thing."

Faith shrugged her grin unrepentant. "Sorry, I guess it rubbed off a little."

Faith looked back at the image on the smooth surface of the pond. Buffy studied her profile for a second before her eyes were once again drawn to the sleeping girl.

The girl let out a strangled scream and sat up suddenly in her bed. Her breaths coming hard and fast, a whistling sound made as she desperately drew harsh gasps of air clawing in her lungs. The door to her room opened and a woman popped her bed-headed head into the room.

A concerned frown graced her features. "Are you all right, Sally? What happened?" She asked frantically.

Sally placed a hand over her racing heart; she blinked rapidly. "I-I had a- There was this girl… and there was this man with his face all deformed with really bad teeth… And there was pain." Sally raised a hand to her neck, running her fingers over the pumping vein. She looked up at her mother in horror. "He bit her!"

Sally's mother exhaled in relief and fully entered the room. She sat next to Sally on the bed and ran a soothing hand down her back. "It was just a dream, Sweetie. It wasn't real."

Sally ran a hand through her hair and gave her mother a shaky smile. "Yeah, I know."

Her mother sighed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She got to her feet and tucked Sally back into her bed. She smiled gently. "Try and get some sleep, honey."

Sally nodded, gnawing on her lip. Worry still tinged her face. "Okay, Mom."

Her mother paused in the doorway. "Goodnight, Sally."

"Night, Mom."

The door closed with a quiet click. Sally's eyes darted around her room.

"It was just a dream," She told herself. "Just a dream." She settled back into her pillow and closed her eyes.

"The Watcher's Council sent out someone to start training her years ago, but instead he kept the money the Council sent out. He's been sending false reports back to England. The Council thinks she's prepared. They think she knows."

Buffy's shoulders sagged in empathy. "Poor girl."

Faith's face was solemn. "She's not going to understand." Faith took a breath. "You have to help her, B. This is the task I leave you with. She's going to be scared, confused and very powerful. She needs your help. You've been there, B. You're the only one equipped to help her understand."

Buffy sighed, still staring at the girl, still caught up in the memory of her own calling.

"Buffy!" Faith's voice was sharp and authoritative. "I need you to promise me you'll look after Sally. I need your word. She can't go down the same path I did."

Buffy had snapped to attention at the sharpness and intensity in Faith's voice. This was obviously something that was very important to her. Buffy searched Faith's eyes, the usual twinkle of mischief was gone.

"All right," she said slowly. "I give you my word as a slayer that I'll look after her."

Faith exhaled sharply in relief, the grin easily coming back to her face. "I knew you would. Thank you."

Buffy shrugged, a little embarrassed. "It's no problem, we slayers have to stick together."

The happy expression on Faith's face faltered. "Yeah."

Suddenly Faith stilled and her eyes closed. They popped open again and once more Buffy was shocked by the intensity in them.

"It's time, B."

"Time for what?"

"It's time for me to go," Faith explained.

"What? No!" Tears sprang to Buffy's eyes. "Not yet! It's too soon!"

Faith leaned forward and brushed a hand down Buffy's cheek. "It's not; in fact it's overdue."

Faith wormed a hand around the back of Buffy's neck and pulled her gently forward. Faith pressed her lips against the smooth skin of Buffy's cheek.

"It's been a real pleasure knowing you, Buffy Summers." Faith pushed a mass of dark hair over her shoulder and fidgeted. "There's one last favour to ask before I go."

"What is it?" Tears had started to fall from Buffy's eyes.

"Tell Giles and your Mom that I said thanks and that I appreciated everything they tried to do for me."

Buffy nodded her head, unable to speak as tears coated her throat.

"And tell Willow, Xander and Angel I said sorry."

Buffy nodded again, clearing her throat so she could speak. "Of course."

In silence Buffy and Faith stared at each other. Faith was the first to move.

"Well I guess this is so long." Faith paused. "Be careful, I don't want to be seeing you for a long time yet."

"Girl Scouts honor."

Faith laughed easily. "You were never a Girl Scout."

Buffy lifted a shoulder. "No, but I could have been."

Abruptly Faith caught Buffy in a rough bear hug. Faith's soft 'goodbye' was whispered in her ear.

They broke apart and without a glance back Faith started walking towards the horizon, the setting sun creating the perfect Hollywood image for her final walk.

As Buffy watched Faith walk away a strange question entered her mind, one she couldn't leave unasked. "Hey, Faith! You never told me your last name."

Faith turned, her face the epitome of serenity. "It's Faith-"

&&&&&

Buffy awoke with a start. She lifted her head off the course hospital blanket and blinked rapidly to expel the sleep from her eyes. Buffy rubbed her cheek, the imprint from the hospital blanket patch working her cheek red and white.

Buffy looked across the bed, where Giles had placed the chair that he had managed to procure for himself.

"How long have you been back?"

Giles shifted in his chair. "Not long. You were sleeping when I came in. You looked so peaceful I couldn't bare to wake you."

"Oh." Buffy looked down at her hand, which had, at some point in her sleep, caught Faith's hand in a tight gripe.

Anything either of them could have said was cut off by the insistent, monotone beep of one of the various machines that were hooked up to Faith. Soon they all started beeping.

Giles pushed back his chair as an overworked nurse ran into the room. The nurse leaned out the door again.

"Get the crash cart, she's flat lining!"

Within seconds the room was filled with people. Several of the nurses glared at Buffy, who sat frozen in place, her hand still grasping Faith's.

"Miss, you have to let go of her hand."

Buffy ignored them, sitting as though she was in a trance. Giles hurried over and carefully detangled his Slayers hands. Gently he pulled Buffy out her chair and out of the hospital staff's way, leaning the both of them against the far wall. Silently they watched as the nurses and doctor injected this and charged that. The only time Buffy reacted was when the paddles were placed against Faith's chest, the powerful surge of electricity causing her body to jump and convulse.

"No, no." Buffy struggled weakly against Giles.

Giles wrapped his arms around his tiny slayer, in a movement that was both comforting and restraining. Buffy fell against him, burying her face into the soft wool of his shirt.

Finally the doctor slumped. "It's over." She sighed. "Call it."

One of the nurses looked at his watch. "Time of death, 12:37 am."

The doctor scrubbed a hand over her short hair and approached Buffy and Giles. "I'm terribly sorry, but there was nothing else we could do. I'm so sorry for your loss."

Giles nodded his thanks. The doctor began to turn away and paused. "We'll give you two a few minutes to say goodbye before… We'll give you a few minutes."

The doctor ushered the nurses and other staff members out of the room.

Buffy and Giles slowly approached the bed. Buffy let go of her strangle hold on Giles' shirt. She leaned over Faith and very gently kissed her on the forehead.

Buffy sniffed loudly breaking the sorrowful silence. "Someone should say a few words or something."

"Yes." Giles agreed absently.

Buffy stared at him expectantly. "Well?"

"Oh! You mean for me to do it?" Giles asked in surprise.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Well, yeah. You're the one that's good with words."

"Right," Giles cleared his throat and thought for a second. "Faith was a good person. She was, on occasion, kind and loving. While she was slightly misguided and made some wrong decisions, as we all do, she may never have the opportunity to try in some way to atone for them. So we should remember her for the good times, not just the bad."

Buffy wiped at her damp face.

"And though she shuffles off this mortal coil, she does spring eternal in the minds of those she leaves behind." Giles added with some dramatic flare.

Buffy stared at him agog. "Giles! You said you were going to say something! You know, a kind of a send off?"

Giles looked insulted. "I was, Buffy!"

"No, you weren't!" Buffy insisted. "You were talking about slinkies!"

"Slinkies? Good god, girl, you've gone insane!"

"Coils? Springs? Have some respect, Giles, please." Buffy arched an eyebrow at him.

He glared back. "Very well. Rest in peace, Faith."

"Is that all?" Buffy's tone was dripping with sarcasm.

The corner of Giles' mouth quirked. "Without talking about slinkies, I believe so."

Buffy looked at Faith, the levity in the room dropping. She smiled sadly at Giles. "She would have liked that."

Giles grinned. "Yes, she would have."

Buffy let out a big sigh, her entire body slumping with the force of it. Buffy straightened her shoulders, snapping into what Giles could easily recognize as her 'Slayer mode.'

"We should go. We have a lot of work ahead of us."

"Buffy, I- Work? What work?" Giles asked puzzled.

Buffy started to stride out of the room, pausing to look back at her former Watcher and the body of her sister slayer.

"We have a new slayer to find. And I have a very important promise to keep."

&&

End.


End file.
